The Backup Drive

The burden of her administrative leave weighed heavily on Anya as she sat in the windowless, sterile interrogation room of Internal Affairs. A printout of the fail-safe evidence package Anya had assigned to her—the package Rhys had successfully transmitted before the broadcast was cut—and the anonymous complaint file were open between them as Captain Eva Rostova sat sternly across from her.

Rostova said without emotion, "Officer Petrova," "this package arrived via secure channels just after the Gala broadcast was compromised." It includes grave accusations against Harrison Vance that are supported by internal documents and audio-visual recordings. It also suggests that you had a close and unlawful relationship with Rhys, the main suspect.

Anya looked directly into her Captain's eyes. Now there was no use in denying. The accusations made against Rhys in connection with the OmniCorp bombing are untrue, Captain. Vance had framed him. That recording demonstrates that Thorne, Vance's chief of security, planned it with Vance's consent. Motive and internal manipulation are evident in the materials. This evidence was acquired by Rhys. I did assist him, yes. Since no one else was paying attention, he was innocent of this.

Rostova's face was unreadable as she clenched her fingers. "You aided a fugitive, compromised an investigation, broke countless regulations…"

"To stop a murderer and expose a conspiracy the system was blind to!" Leaning closer, passion triumphing over caution, Anya interrupted. "Vance silenced Rhys and proceeded with his Nightingale project by using the bombs. He forced workers and falsified evidence. To hide his tracks, he nearly killed Michael Bellweather! That packet contains the proof. Vance is unstoppable. You must take immediate action because he will destroy the remaining evidence and silence Thorne and Silas.

Rostova studied Anya in silence for a long time. According to the book, she was a professional IA, but Anya felt—and hoped—that beyond the stiff façade, there was integrity. "And where is Rhys now?" Quietly, Rostova asked.

"I don't know," was Anya's candid response. "When your agents arrested me, we lost contact. However, I am familiar with Vance. He will not depend on others to completely clean up his mess. He will be the one to secure or destroy the last piece of evidence. At OmniCorp Tower, probably.

After giving this some thought, Rostova decided. She grabbed the phone from her desk. "Officer Marcus Jones, come get me. And put together a tactical group. discreetly.

Like a vindictive ghost, Rhys stalked across the dim upper floors of OmniCorp Tower. He had kept an eye on Vance's whereabouts from a distance following his frantic escape. Instead of running away, Vance had come back to his seat of authority and probably started a last data purge from his secure server room, which is the only location where physical backups and maybe unencrypted communications may still be present. It was Rhys's final opportunity to provide indisputable evidence.

Jax served as Rhys's eyes and ears in the digital world after being reached through a last minute procedure. "Security patrols doubled, Rhys," Jax said via Rhys's earpiece, her voice crackling almost imperceptibly. "They are going from floor to floor sweeping. However, I've circumvented the pressure plates in the north stairwell and made a loop in the elevator sensors. Vance is next to the server room on the executive floor. Thorne, his chief of security, is with him.

With accustomed ease, Rhys climbed the stairway, avoiding pressure sensors and laser grids. The executive floor was lavish, quiet, and dimly lighted by the city lights coming in through the floor-to-ceiling windows when he stepped out. Through the server room's reinforced glass, he could see Vance and Thorne working frantically at a terminal.

He got past the magnetic locks in the server room as Vance started the last wipe. "Going somewhere, Harrison?" Rhys entered the room and inquired in a low voice.

Vance whirled around, his shocked expression soon giving way to rage. Instinctively, Thorne reached into his jacket. Rhys advanced with lightning speed, disarming Thorne with a barrage of accurate blows that sent the man's weapon skittering away and left him moaning on the ground with a dislocated shoulder.

"You!" Spitting, Vance retreated in the direction of the terminal. "You need to be dead! or apprehended!"

"Your plan had flaws," Rhys said calmly, his gaze darting to the screen's wiping progress meter. There is less than a minute left. "Leaving things hanging. talking excessively.

"My lawyers will tear apart whatever nonsense you think you have," Vance said sarcastically as he attempted to return to control. He silently triggered an alarm by deftly pressing a button concealed beneath the console.

"Maybe," said Rhys. However, it is more difficult to control the court of public opinion. Particularly when they witness lovely Martin here admitting to framing me at your direction." He needed that wipe procedure to fail or be caught, thus he needed to stall.

The elevator dinged at that moment. Captain Rostova, a number of armed IA officers, and, to Rhys's astonishment, Marcus Jones—who appeared grim but determined—were standing next to a pale but determined Anya, who was still officially under arrest, as the doors slid open.

She said, "Harrison Vance, Martin Thorne, this is Captain Rostova, Internal Affairs," in a commanding voice. "You're under arrest for conspiracy, evidence tampering, and suspected involvement in the OmniCorp bombing."

Vance gave a rough, barking laugh. What grounds do you have, Captain? A terrorist and his pet police officer's rants?" He pointed to Anya and Rhys.

Rostova calmly nodded to her team and said, "On the grounds of recorded conversations, financial trails, network logs, and corroborated evidence delivered through secure channels," in order to secure the struggling Thorne. "And whatever you're currently trying to delete."

Marcus took a step forward, staring at Vance for a moment before shifting momentarily to Anya with nuanced emotion. "Sir, step away from the terminal."

Vance made one more desperate move, wedged between Rhys and the incoming officers. He sprang for one of the server rack's physical destruction switches. Rhys was quicker, though. With a tangle of limbs collapsing to the ground, he tackled Vance. Despite being in custody, Anya yelled, "The backup drive!" as they grappled. Examine Unit 7, the additional internal housing. Perhaps gathered from his analysis, she knew Rhys would comprehend—a scenario she had foreseen.

She was heard by Rhys. When the main terminal panel flashed WIPE COMPLETE, Rhys disengaged from Vance as officers surrounded him, found the housing Anya had pointed to, pryed it open, and took out a small, solid-state drive.

He kept the drive going. "Looking for this, Harrison?"

Officers read Vance his rights and pulled him to his feet while he stared helplessly. He lost the struggle and was filled with icy rage.

Rhys and Anya looked at each other across the room during the ensuing chaos, which included securing Vance and Thorne, IA officers recording the situation, and Rostova organizing. They exchanged a tacit acknowledgement of their mutual triumph over insurmountable circumstances and of their trust being confirmed. Marcus's expression tightened as he observed the expression.

Rostova walked warily toward Rhys. She raised a hand, but her crew had already trained their weapons. "Rhys, you're still sought. For Thorne Tower, among many other reasons."

Rhys whispered, "I know," and extended the backup disk to her. "This is the last component. It should include all of the unencrypted information you require about Vance.

After hesitating, Rostova seized the wheel. She looked into his eyes. There was no appreciation, but there might have been a reluctant respect and an awareness of the hazy boundaries they had all crossed. "Don't make me regret this," she whispered, barely audible.